Cute, Mute, and Psycho
by Jezrianna2.0
Summary: Neopolitan is in Mistral looking for Cinder Fall, and willingly enters a spider's web to do so.


_A brief look at Neopolitan's arrival in Mistral and the run-up to her confrontation with Cinder. Also an exploration of the challenges of writing a character who doesn't speak._

Mistral was a city of levels. Built on a pair of tall mountains, the city descended their slopes and filled the valley between them. The topmost levels were home to the elites of both the city and the kingdom, as well as Haven Academy. As you made your way down the city, you came to middle class districts, then working class neighborhoods, until you reached the levels known as Bottom. Bottom was, to put it mildly, a bit of a slum. Ramshackle buildings fronted narrow, crooked streets, and the whole place had an air of impermanence about it. That was fitting, since Bottom was that part of Mistral most vulnerable, and subject to, attacks by creatures of Grimm.

That was fine with most of the denizens of Bottom, though; officially, it was merely the city's poorest district. Unofficially, it was a hotbed of crime, both organized and unorganized. The criminals generally preferred the shadows, real or metaphorical, as they made it easier to hide, and kept the police somewhat at bay.

One such, striding along one of Bottom's rainy narrow streets, was a short young woman in a dingy white coat and black trousers that had seen better days. A bowler hat covered a head of pink and brown hair, its brim shading a similarly colored set of eyes.

Her name was Neopolitan, though most who knew her called her Neo. She had come to Mistral to find Cinder Fall, who had hired her friend Roman Torchwick for a series of jobs back in Vale. Neo hadn't grasped the full extent of Cinder's scheme at the time, and doubted Roman had either. She wasn't sure even now that she knew the full extent of Cinder's schemes, but that hardly mattered. Roman was dead, eaten alive by a Grimm during the climax of Cinder's attack on Beacon Academy, and his spare hat was all that Neo had left to remember him by. Cinder was going to pay for that.

Neo was looking for information, and Bottom seemed like the right place to find it. Some discreet eavesdropping, and careful observation of the people around her, had tipped Neo off to an organization she had come to think of as 'The Spiders'. A gang of some sort, its members were distinguished both by the distinctive color scheme of their clothing, and by rather too obvious spider web tattoos, and who spoke of a 'Lil' Miss' who called the shots.

That was enough to pique Neo's curiosity. By their numbers, they were the largest gang in Bottom, which in turn suggested that Lil' Miss knew her business. Undoubtedly Neo would have to pay for what she wanted. That was fine with her. Her semblance had allowed her to disguise her present bedraggled appearance and mingle among the wealthy of Mistral long enough to pick more than a few pockets. She had enough Lien secreted about her person to tempt any crime boss.

* * *

The place had no name that Neo could see; no sign hung above its door; no name was painted on its façade. It was large, though, and busy, if the frequent arrivals and departures were any sign. Nor was it exclusively for the Spiders, it seemed, though there was only one way to find that out for sure.

There was a man at the door, leaning against one of the jambs. He seemed only vaguely interested in her as she approached, and gave her the most cursory of looks when she stopped in front of him.

While she had his gaze, Neo flicked her eyes toward the door. The man stared for a moment, then shrugged. Favoring him with a brief but winsome smile, Neo ducked through the doorway, and into the building beyond.

It was brighter inside than Neo expected. The air was hazy with the smoke of various burning herbs, and the smell of food. Neo's stomach rumbled, and she remembered that she was, if not starving, at least very hungry. And cold and wet. She shook herself. Such things could wait. The crowd was a mix of Spiders in their trademark purple, and less uniformly attired people. Mostly they paid her no mind, beyond taking note of her presence. They were seated in booths and at tables, eating and drinking and talking in low tones. There was a bar, of course, at the back of the room, and…

…next to the bar, at a large table, like a queen holding court, sat a stout woman who _had_ to be Lil' Miss.

Neo made a beeline for the middle-aged woman who, along with the bodyguards flanking her, watched Neo approach with entirely confident interest.

"That's far enough," Lil' Miss said. Her tone was a mixture of kindly and amused, and accompanied by a slight wave of her hand.

Neo halted as commanded, smiled, and bowed.

"Now how can Ah help you, Sweetheart?" Lil' Miss asked with an amused smile. She had a peculiar accent that Neo couldn't place, and her amused demeanor made Neo a trifle uneasy. Still, Neo reasoned, she hadn't come here to be deterred by nerves.

Instead, Neo reached into one of her pockets, drew forth a handful of Lien cards, and tossed them onto the table in front of Lil' Miss, who picked them up, examined their denominations, and smiled again. Neo then produced her scroll, tapped the screen a few times, and showed the result to the older woman.

"I'm looking for this one," Lil' Miss read aloud, noting the picture that accompanied the words. She looked up a Neo. "Can't you talk, Sweetheart?"

Neo answered by pointing at her mouth and shaking her head.

"Interesting," Lil' Miss opined. "Do you underst…" She was interrupted by Neo sneezing loudly. Lil' Miss took a closer look at her guest, noting that Neo's clothes were wet and that her face was slightly gray and gaunt.

"When's the last time you had something to eat?" Lil' Miss asked. In answer, Neo's stomach rumbled again.

"Let's get you something to eat, Honey," Lil' Miss said.

* * *

Neo sighed happily (she could make noises, by exhaling with various degrees of force, she just couldn't form _words_ ) a sank lower in the tub of gloriously hot water. For whatever reason, Lil' Miss had taken great interest in Neo's well-being. A bowl of thick, rich stew and a half pint of porter had been followed by an offer of a hot bath, dry clothes (while her own were laundered), and a warm bed, which Neo had been happy to accept. What suspicions such generosity might have aroused were allayed by one of Lil' Miss's henchmen relieving Neo of several hundred more Lien for services rendered.

More gratifying was the note that had been delivered a few moments ago by a different henchman (who happened to be female).

 _She'll be here tomorrow evening. Be ready._

Neo glanced over to where her umbrella was leaning against the wall. It had been too long since she'd killed someone. Tomorrow was going to be a good day.


End file.
